In English we say “There is more than one way to skin a cat”. In French it’s “There’s more than one way to kill a cat”. I don’t know why the cat always gets it, and it seems unfair to me.

But it is also a handy reminder that there are always alternative viewpoints or courses of action. Our thinking tends to default to its usual way of going about things, so it is good practice to interrupt this habit from time to time and consider something from s many angles as possible.

Here’s an exercise. Next time you have a moment – waiting for a train or in a queue for example – pick something you ‘know’, some inconsequential fact about a person or a thing, and explore it from as many different viewpoints as possible.

For example “How would it be if sugar was not sweet?”, “How would it be if (fill in the gap), was not necessary”. The list is endless, have fun!